June 12: Again, Senate throws out motion to immortalise Nwosu

…Says he deserves only a minute’s silence

For the second time under 24 hours, senators on Thursday rejected a motion seeking to immortalise the late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.

They only agreed to honour his death by observing a minute’s silence and extending condolences to his family.

Nwosu, who died in October 2024, will be buried on Friday, March 28 in Ogbili Otti Palace, Ajalli, in the Orumba-North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Nwosu, a professor of political science, had chaired the National Electoral Commission (NEC) that conducted the June 12, 1993 presidential election, adjudged to be the fairest and freest poll ever conducted in the history of the country.

However, the military regime of then Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), annulled the result of the election, widely believed to have been won by the late MKO Abiola, who contested the election as the flagbearer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Babangida recently admitted at the launch of his book, “A Journey in Service”, that Abiola indeed won the election. He accepted responsibility for the failure of his administration to conclude the election by announcing him as the winner.

On Wednesday, Sen. Enyinanya Abaribe (APGA, Abia-South) brought a motion to the floor of the Senate seeking a resolution to immortalise Nwosu by the Federal Government.

The majority of senators had roundly opposed the motion, a development that forced lawmakers of South-East extraction to express their frustration and disappointment over the action of their colleagues.

On Thursday, Abaribe returned again, coming through Order 51 of the Senate rules to ask for a recission of the Wednesday decision to enable him to move the motion a second time.

Although, he got the leave to retake the motion, senators again threw it out after a heated debate that lasted nearly one hour.

Thursday’s session was presided over by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin.

Most senators held the view that Nwosu did not deserve to be immortalised because he “ his courage failed him” when it mattered most to announce the full results of the June 12 election.

However, senators from the South-East supported the motion.

Abaribe, in his prayers, had urged the Senate to approve a resolution to name the Abuja headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after Nwosu; bestow a posthumous national honours on him; extend condolences to his family; and to observe a minute’s silence in his honour.

Senators only agreed to extend condolences to the family and observe a minute’s silence in honour of Nwosu, but rejected the proposals to immortalise him.

The South-East Caucus of the Senate expressed shock over the development, but insisted that the group was not deterred.

Addressing Senate Correspondents soon after the motion was rejected, the group said it believed that one day, Nwosu would be recognised.

“We are not deterred. The reason is simple. It may be delayed, but it will not be denied. Prof Nwosu was the person who laid the foundations that we are all enjoying today.

“And so, as far as we are concerned, we think that even if this government does not honour Prof Nwosu, a government in future will honour him.

“After all, some other governments refused to recognise Abiola, but later on, they did”, Abaribe, who is the leader of the caucus, said.

Abaribe cited an example with President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a “June 12 warrior”, urging him to intervene in the call to immortalise Nwosu.

“So, we can also use this opportunity that we are here addressing you to appeal to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to honour the man who made sure that the election was held”, he added

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